WARMINGTON: TCDSB chair told to turn over items billed to taxpayers

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Ontario’s minister of education is taking the Toronto Catholic District School Board chair to school Monday by asking him to return dozens of items that he has expensed to the taxpayer.  

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In fact, in a letter to Markus de Domenico, Ward 2 trustee, who is the TCDSB chair, Minister Paul Calandra detailed 61 items that his staff found in submitted expense forms that he would like to be turned back over to the school board, which at this time is under suspension while the Ford government reviews the system as it has been.  

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From a $145 Apple Watch strap to AirPods, to headphones, to batteries to a desk and many other items, Calandra wants them all back.  

“Dear Mr. de Domenico, It has recently come to my attention, through information provided to me by the Minister-appointed Supervisor at the Toronto Catholic District School Board, that during your tenure as Trustee, you purchased various office and personal electronic devices using Board funds,” wrote Calandra.  

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“As I’m sure we agree, Board resources are most effective when they support students in classrooms. Given your repeated public statements that you have no office and that, since the Supervisor’s appointment, your role as trustee is limited solely to denominational issues, please arrange to return the following items purchased with taxpayers’ dollars, totalling $6,704.04.” 

Chair de Domenico has not so far not commented on this new development. He should explain these expenses and be given an opportunity to.  

In a previous Toronto Sun column, he had expressed a need to expense various food items like milkshakes as part of his duties in meeting parents as part of his role of overseeing education.   

Claiming the PC government has underfunded school boards, de Domenico admonished the criticism of his expenses as pure political games and said he would not stoop to the level of comparing his expenses to Calandra’s.  

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But Calandra has made it clear he won’t be taking advice from anybody who would bill the taxpayers for expenses from McDonald’s at 3 a.m. or other lavish and unnecessary dining experiences.  

But the minister is taking it to a whole new level by demanding that other items that were purchased under the ledger, as being for professional work, be gathered and brought back to the board in good working order immediately.  

“Kindly ensure each item is in working order and includes any accessories and chargers, and that all passwords have been removed,” Calandra wrote.  

“Given that several additional purchases were submitted without itemized receipts or with the itemized details curiously removed, please also include any additional devices or accessories that, on reflection, are Board property,” the letter read.  

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Calandra asked de Domenico to “Please deliver the items at your earliest convenience to the Toronto Catholic District School Board Catholic Education Centre located at 80 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto” and “if any item is no longer in your possession, provide the date, disposition, and the authorization under which that occurred, along with receipts.” 

While the board chair would get an F for expensing all of these items and the minister an A+ for pointing this out, a bigger issue is that taxpayers’ money was used to purchase the items all.  

The minister is correct to ask for each and every item to be returned to the public, which owns the items from 30 cell phone screen covers to European prepaid SIM cards to an Obusforme backrest.  

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And it shouldn’t stop at this trustee, but each and every one of them should be scrutinized because while people in Ontario struggle to pay their rent, their grocery bills and car insurance, there is no way that it is appropriate elected officials should be dinging the taxpayers for so many purchases.  

It was a brilliant play here to demand these things be returned, but no matter how it’s spun, it needs to be noted it was our money used to make these purchases and as the minister rightly asks, it’s time to give back our stuff.  

Here is a list of what Calandra has asked to be turned over: 

Headphones and Audio: 

1. 2. 3. 4. 6. AKG Y500 Headphones + Charger – $180.78

BERIBES Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones – $37.99 

36 Inch TV Sound Bar – $146.89 

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DOSS SoundBox Touch Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers – $42.99 

5. Apple AirPods Pro with Charging Case – $371.77

ION Total PA Ultimate Speaker – $293.79 

Hard Drives: 

7. 8. 9. Seagate 2 TB External Hard Drive + USB – $118.63

Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TD – $248.59 

Vansuny 64GB USB Type-C Flash Drive – $11.29 

10. BENFEI USB C to USB 3.0 Adapter, 3 Pack – $11.29

Phone Accessories: 

11. 2 Prepaid Europe Sim Cards – $66.04
12. Iphone XS Max LE Case Black-ZML – $77.97
13. Lightning to SD Card reader for iPhone Camera – $18.06
14. ESR Classic Hybrid Magnetic Case with HaloLock, for IPhone 14 Pro – $20.33
15. TORRAS Crystal Clear Case Compatible for iPhone 12 Pro Max – $19.54
16. 2x BENEWY Headphone Adaptor for iPhone – $10.59
17. 2x CaseMate Phone case – $59.98
18. Common Craft Wireless Charger and Phone mount – $22.50
19. HonShoop Wireless Car Charger Mount – $29.99
20. iBolt MagDock 360 Combo Universal Vehicle Mount – $33.89
21. BelKin Car Vent Mount for iPhone – $33.84

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Laptop sleeves and bags: 

22. Macbook Pro 15 Leather Sleeve Black – $281.37
23. Amazon Laptop Sleeve – $32.76
24. Bagasin 15.6 Laptop Sleeve – $25.98
25. Tomtoc 360-degree Protective Laptop Sleeve for 13-inch MacBook Air – $32.53
26. MOSISO Laptop Sleeve for MacBook – $27.11
27. Laptop Backpack with Separate Laptop Compartment – $67.79

Chargers: 

28. Anker Powerport Atom USBC/USBQ CHRGR-ZML – $90.34
29. Anker Powerline II Lightning Cable – $24.85
30. Apple USB-C Charging Cable (2M) + 96W USB-C Charger, USB Type C Power Adapter – $135.56 

31. Belkin 2-1 MagSafe Stand Black – $146.84
32. 3 Pack Aloneus Lightning Cable iPhone charging Cord – $14.40
33. USB C Fast Charger for iPhone 12 – $25.70
34. 87W USB C Charger Power Adapter Compatible with MacBook air 13in – $40.99
35. 96W USB-C Charger, USB Type C Power Adapter – $43.99
36. ANKER iPhone Powerline Lightning Cable – $12.42

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Cameras and Accessories: 

37. 60FPS Autofocus 1080P Webcam with Dual Microphone & Privacy Cover –$75.64 

38. AKASO 4K 30 FPS Camera with 64GB Micro SDXC Memory Card – $293.79
39. Gigastome 64GB SD Card 2 Pack + USB C SD Card Reader Camera Micro TF

Memory – $66.63 

40. Pickle Power 2 pack Batteries and LED charger for Samsung digital camera –$22.58 

41. Ring Light with Tripod Stand – $30.39
42. Table Top 10-inch USB LED Ring Light – $28.39

Projectors and screens and TV wall mounts: 

43. 4K Projector – $402.27
44. 20FT 3.5mm Audio Cable for projector – $14.68
45. 150 inch Portable Projector Screen – $70.05
46. 100 Inch 4K Fixed Frame Projector Screen – $316.34
47. 47. Mounting Dream 42-84 Inch TV Wall Mount – $44.06
48. USX Mount tilting TV wall mount Low Profile for 20-60in TV – $23.72
49. USB C to HDMI Adapter + 4K Cable – $48.01

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Office Equipment: 

50. Rubbermaid Rougheck Storage Totes 6 Pack – $244.95
51. 2 Lepro Desk Lamps – $73.43
52. 4 Pack Heavy Duty 45 Litre Stackable Totes for Truck – $110.45
53. LORYERGO Monitor Stand – $38.41
54. ObusForme Lowback Backrest Support – Lower Back Padded Seat Cushion – $79.07 

55. Bostitch Personal Electric Pencil Sharpener – $25.75
56. Ikea Desk – $398.89

iPad and Apple Accessories: 

57. 11-Inch iPad Air 128GB- Starlight – $924.34
58. ProCase Smart Case for iPad Air 11-inch – $19.02
59. Apple Pencil Pro – $179.67
60. Apple Magic Trackpad Multi-Touch Surface White – $168.37
61. 45mm Graphite Milanese Loop for Apple Watch – $145.77

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